“The Giants paid Jennings as a starter. His guarantee ($3 million) and per year salary ($2.5 million) compared to Ben Tate. That doesn’t seem like great value. There are questions about whether Jennings can carry the load as a lead back. That’s still to be determined. Jennings has never had more than 163 carries in a season. He’s never started more than eight games. The Giants have placed an awful lot of confidence in an unknown quantity, one that averaged a cringe-worthy 2.8 yards per carry in 2012.”

Good points, but he is the player they feel is best suited to spearhead their new offense. Jordan does not take into account that Jennings is a full-service back. Last season, he caught 36 passes for 292 yards (an average at 8.1 YPC) and at 6″1″, 231 he is an upgrade in the pass protection packages.

Dan Graziano of ESPN NewYork says the Giants’ current major strength is their revamped secondary. (Read)

Our colleague Michael Cohen culled some stats from the website to illustrate how the new secondary performed in 2013…

After reviewing the 2013 cornerback rankings by Pro Football Focus, three of the top 15 players ranked by NFL/QB rating (i.e. what was the rating of the QB when throwing at a receiver covered by the corner) will play for the Giants in 2014.

No Donald DT at 12- waaaay undersized tweener. If defense is where you want to go Draft Reshad Hageman DT or Anthony Barr DE or Justin Gilbert CB instead.

If Oline is the primary concern in the first. Draft Lewan or Mathews if available if not Zach Martin should be the guy.

If Reese sticks to this blue print he may be on the road to a good draft. If not get ready for more busts, tweeners, and project picks. I Know Ebron would be the heart felt story. Grew up in NY but he plays the wrong position and honestly I don't even think he is better than Shockey. So no am not taking him that high.

@Skookaloop As a Michigan fan, I don't want his type on my team. Texting Tough Guys who intimidate girls who may or may not have been assaulted are a stain on society. Plus, he's not what everybody hypes him up to be as he struggled with Borges "pro-style" system, and regressed from his junior year showing. Pass.

Hopefully the scenario you laid out is what will really happen. I know the Giants like high character guys and so do I, but Lewan is STILL my first round pick as well unless some new incriminating evidence surfaces. I hope he's innocent of all charges and he falls to #12. He'd look good in BIG BLUE.

@Billy Suede That's the kind of guy we need ......a mean and tough sob. Look at how many thugs are in NFL.....30% are wife beaters, gangsters, thieves, coach killers, druggies, and coke takers and I don't mean soda. Taylor is exactly what we need!

@Martin London Yes - I made that point in the original draft of the post. Prince's numbers are better when you take that into consideration. The nice thing is that McBride and Thurmond will mostly be up against 3 and 4 with Cromarte and Prince against 1s and 2s. In any case, the Giants secondary is certainly much improved.

The only caveat is that these numbers are certainly impacted by pass rush, an area which is still highly suspect for the Giants given the loss of Tuck who was their top pass rusher overall in 2013.

@Skookaloop@Slim It was covered up by Michigan, like this type of garbage is at any college football school. Hoke said Gibbons missed the Kansas State game because he "tweaked something" and charges were leveled soon thereafter. Don't tell me about the letter of the law, when they are trying to gather as much information as possible. He's not the type of guy I want on my team.

You want to talk Xs & Os? Check the outback bowl film against Clowney when they were both "in their prime." Clowney and Shaw ate his lunch. And like I said, he regressed this year. I know you are pro-tanking and anti-Reese, so it would make sense that you would want this guy protecting Eli's blindside